Indiana Fever vs. Minnesota Lynx
Sunday, July 14
Target Center | 4:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast Information
ESPN
Probable Starters
Indiana Fever (10-14)
Guard – Caitlin Clark (16.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 7.8 apg)
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (16.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Center – Aliyah Boston (13.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.7 apg)
Forward – Katie Lou Samuelson (5.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (11.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Minnesota Lynx (16-7)
Guard – Kayla McBride (16.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.6 apg)
Guard – Courtney Williams (9.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.3 apg)
Center – Dorka Juhász (5.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Forward – Alanna Smith (11.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.2 apg)
Forward – Bridget Carleton (8.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Game Status Report
Indiana: Temi Fagbenle – OUT (Right Thumb)
Minnesota: Napheesa Collier – QUESTIONABLE (Left Foot), Olivia Époupa – OUT (Right Thigh)
GAME PREVIEW:
The Indiana Fever (10-14) travel to Target Center on Sunday afternoon to face the Minnesota Lynx for the first contest of the season and the penultimate game before the Olympic break. The Fever arrive in Minneapolis on Sunday after winning two of its last three home games, with multiple Indiana players coming off dominant and record breaking performances. In Indiana’s last three games, rookie guard Caitlin Clark totaled 68 points, 39 assists, 23 rebounds and eight steals. During the homestand, Clark has become the first rookie in WNBA history and first player in franchise history to record a triple-double, set a franchise record for assists recorded in a single quarter (7) and became the first rookie in WNBA history to tally multiple games with at least 20 points and 10 assists. During Friday’s 95-86 win against the Phoenix Mercury, Mitchell moved into 60th place on the WNBA All-Time scoring list with 3,562 points. During Friday’s win, Boston, Clark and Smith became the first trio of teammates with double-doubles and at least two blocked shots each in the same regular season game.
Additionally, it was announced earlier this month Fever guard Kristy Wallace was named to the Australian Women’s National Team to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics with Lynx forward Alanna Smith. Wallace became the fifth Fever player ever to be named to an Olympic roster.
Minnesota (16-7) had an impressive start to its season as well, as the Lynx were able to represent the Western Conference in the 2024 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Final for the first time since 2021. During Commissioner’s Cup play, Minnesota finished with a 4-1 record against conference opponents and beat the New York Liberty, 94-89, in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship. Minnesota was led by forward Bridget Carleton’s 23-point performance and forward Napheesa Collier was awarded with game MVP with 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. Collier was recently named to the USA Basketball Women’s National Team to compete in this summer’s Olympics, but has been sidelined with a foot injury since July 4.
The Lynx also won two of its last three games, but enter Sunday off its biggest loss of the season, 91-63, against the Seattle Storm on Friday and finished 3-1 in its regular season series with Seattle. In Friday’s loss, Lynx guard Kayla McBride was the only player to score in double figures as she posted a game-high 27 points. Seattle outscored Minnesota in paint points, 26-18, bench points, 27-22, and outrebounded the Lynx, 39-31.
Though currently injured, Collier is still tied for fourth in scoring among all players in the league with an average of 20.0 points per game, while Mitchell and Clark are ranked 12th and 13th respectively, averaging 16.9 ppg and 16.8 ppg each. Collier is also ranked fourth in the WNBA in rebounds, averaging 10.2 rebounds per game, as Boston and Smith are ranked ninth and 10th. Clark leads all rookies in scoring and assists and is ranked second among all players in the league for assists per game, averaging 7.8 assists per game. Lynx guard Courtney Williams ranks seventh, averaging 5.3 assists per contest.
Originally posted on fever.wnba.com